Tongan artist and philosopher Visesio Siasau, recently exhibited his work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Visesio was invited as a guest delegate for the museum's grand re-opening in May, where he contributed his expertise to the study of Oceania collections.
His piece, "Hikule’o," carved from a single whale tooth, was displayed at “The Met”. This figure represents fertility, spirit, vibrations, and energies, and is believed to be a vehicle through which the deity Hikule'o manifested in the physical world.
Visesio is a multidisciplinary artist who integrates spiritual, philosophical, and meditative practices to express Tongan realities. As a master artist practitioner (tufunga) from a hereditary guild, he draws upon ancient Tongan cosmologies and cosmogonies to enrich his contemporary works. He uses various materials such as wood, perspex, glass, and bronze to recreate Tongan divinity figures ('otua).
Visesio comes from Fungamisi Vava'u, and Ha'ano. He resides with his family in Havelu, Tongatapu, and he plans to work from Tonga full-time.
Back in Tonga, Visesio expresses concern that creativity is being undermined.
”I believe we need to redefine what creativity truly means,” he told Matangi Tonga. He notes that many in Tonga associate creativity primarily with drawing, but he believes "art is much more than that."
"Art is a divine language—a way to communicate and connect with the outside world.”
He said there needs to be professional curators, academics on the line of art and creativity, established artists, internationally-wise, "so that people, the locals, are exposed to that kind of thinking.”
Indiginous creativity
Visesio also emphasizes the growing global interest in indigenous knowledge as an alternative approach to environmental issues like climate change.
He believes that indigenous creativity and art reflect a profound connection to nature and contain valuable scientific insights.
He advocates for the inclusion of Tongan and other Indigenous artworks in major museum collections like the Metropolitan Museum to preserve, showcase, and promote understanding of this knowledge worldwide.
He is passionate about nature and urges immediate action to reduce carbon emissions and address global environmental problems.
He is the first Tongan artist to receive the Wallace Art Prize and spent six months as a resident artist at the International Studio and Curatorial Program (ISCP) in New York in 2016.
Visesio holds a Masters in Tongan Philosophy and Art.
